Shloka 35

कुब्जानुग्रहः, धनुर्भङ्गः, कुवलयापीडवधः, मल्लयुद्धं, कंसवधः, स्तुतयः

Devanagari script

अरिष्टो धेनुकः केशी लीलयैव महात्मना निहता येन दुर्वृत्ता दृश्यतां सो ऽयम् अच्युतः

Transliteration

ariṣṭo dhenukaḥ keśī līlayaiva mahātmanā nihatā yena durvṛttā dṛśyatāṃ so 'yam acyutaḥ

Translation

Ariṣṭa, Dhenuka, and Keśī—those wicked foes—were slain by that great-souled One as if in mere play. Behold: this is Acyuta.

Word by Word

• अरिष्टः: Ariṣṭa
• अरिष्टः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अरिष्ट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• धेनुकः: Dhenuka
• धेनुकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धेनुक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• केशी: Keśī
• केशी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: केशिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• लीलया: playfully; by mere sport
• लीलया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लीला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; करणार्थे

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: Emphasis (Avadharana/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• महात्मना: by the great-souled one
• महात्मना: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महात्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; करण/कर्तृ-विशेषणार्थे

• निहताः: were killed
• निहताः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि + हन् (धातु) → निहत (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; कर्मणि-भावः (were slain)

• येन: by whom
• येन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• दुर्वृत्ताः: wicked (ones)
• दुर्वृत्ताः: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुर् (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + वृत्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; कर्मधारय-समासः (दुष्टं वृत्तं येषाम्)

• दृश्यताम्: let (him) be seen
• दृश्यताम्: Kriya (Injunctive/आज्ञा)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative/आज्ञार्थ), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; आत्मनेपदम्; भावे प्रयोगः (let him be seen)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• अयम्: this (very one)
• अयम्: Apposition (Samanadhikarana/समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समानाधिकरण

• अच्युतः: Acyuta (the infallible one)
• अच्युतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अच्युत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Speaker

Narratorial voice within the Parasara–Maitreya frame (Vishnu Purana’s Krishna narrative)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Teaching: Devotional

Quality: authoritative

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: To eliminate repeated asuric assaults on Vraja and secure the devotees’ safety, displaying effortless divine mastery.

Leela: Loka-rakshana

Dharma Restored: Removal of violent oppression and restoration of pastoral peace in Vraja

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Recognizing Acyuta in His deeds turns historical narration into darśana—faith stabilizes when the Lord is known as unfailing protector.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Contemplate the Lord’s names (e.g., Acyuta) and past protections to cultivate steadiness and courage in spiritual practice.

Vishishtadvaita: Acyuta’s unfailing nature grounds the devotee’s dependence (śeṣatva) on the Lord who never abandons His own.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Krishna

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Characters & Entities

• Krishna
• Vishnu
• Ariṣṭa
• Dhenuka
• Keśī

FAQs

What is the significance of Krishna slaying Ariṣṭa, Dhenuka, and Keśī in the Vishnu Purana?

It presents Krishna’s protection of Vraja and the re-establishment of dharma, showing that hostile forces are removed effortlessly by the Lord as divine līlā.

How does the Vishnu Purana portray Krishna’s power in this verse?

By calling the killings “līlā,” it emphasizes sovereignty without strain—Krishna acts as the Supreme Reality whose will alone is sufficient.

What is the theological importance of the name “Acyuta” here?

Acyuta signals Vishnu/Krishna as the unfailing, unchanging Lord—supreme, dependable refuge—aligning the narrative feats with enduring metaphysical supremacy.